So, let’s get started with the disclaimer right away: It took four tries to make it (mostly) fantastic indeed; FOUR times. Maybe, the fourth time is the charm?
From the buried version 1994 version to the Fox two-parter (in 2005 and 2007) that could never attain the tone to the right manner to the atrocity that came about a decade ago, it took some “first steps” indeed for Marvel to finally nail how to handle the family quartet that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby envisioned so many years ago. And perhaps that boils down to this wonderful sense of retro-fitted futuristic flair that director Matt Shakman positions this film with; not one entrapped in the same origin story that plagued the ones that came before it, but thrusting the audience into a vintage atmosphere that pops while featuring great stylistic and jollification. As a bonus, Marvel doesn’t bring you to the textbooks to understand McGuffin #6392 in this latest installment under their banner; there is character here to enjoy, which has been one of their unmitigated specialties.
Set in the 1960s on a different version of Earth, the intelligent, stretchy man Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), invisible Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), fireball Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and a rocky Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) have had their powers for a few years and are celebrated in acclaimed fashion around the world for their efforts in pulverizing local villains or saving folks. But the family is about to get a couple of steps bigger, as Sue is pregnant with her son, Franklin. Anxious about what powers will befall their newborn, the family is immediately caught in the fire when the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) arrives to announce to the Earth folk that the planet is now marked for destruction to be devoured by a cosmic titan named Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson). Thus, the family must band together to stop Galactus’s imminent arrival.
Much like Vin Diesel preaches that you must remain hopeful and that nothing is more powerful than the love of family, our fantastic quartet acknowledges the dangers that the giant poses while conveying their message to the world: the importance of standing together as one. Vanessa Kirby makes the most of her on-screen presence in this feature, bringing a lovingly fierce and protective nature to her newfound role as a mother while keeping the team intact. Moss-Bachrach may be a stony brick character, but he conveys great depth with his eyes alone. Quinn and Pascal bring along great energy and flavors with their characters, and the dynamic between them showcases wonderfully in the parts that matter the most. Yours indeed was almost convinced by the atmosphere he was watching episodes of The Jetsons, which isn’t a detriment to the film, as it further ingrains folks in the atmosphere, rather than being another green-screen padded attempt for the sake of money. The visuals and music (thanks, Michael Giachhino) are excellent in that regard, bringing a nifty environment for anyone appreciative of an analog good time.
Perhaps the only thing that keeps this out of the realm of “great” Marvel movies is that it’s devoid of the crucial ingredients that push it past being another fun, dynamic team-up. It’s evident with the pacing that the writers want to steamroll past the methodical origin stories, which is perfectly understandable (and justifiable), but there’s not much of a cathartic or enrapturing ambition at stake, especially if a big titan is coming to devour your world within days. The tension is also errant, as the family doesn’t get tested much with the stakes, outside of a (rapid) quibbling between Sue and Reed about whether they should make a sacrifice to save the planet.
Even with it restraining itself on the action sequences, this film shines thanks to its character work and an old-school aesthetic that makes it stand out from the recent pack. It’s no masterpiece, but the First Steps of The Fantastic Four are good enough for them to leap into the evolving landscape of the MCU thanks to this entertaining spectacle.
